The First Choice
by AlwaysInSonder
Summary: Hypothesis 0: I care for him as a friend and nothing more. Hypothesis 1: H0 is not true. [Companion fic to The Second Chance!]


**A/N: It's recommended that you read The Third Wheel and The Second Chance before this!**

* * *

The hallowed grounds of the Galaxy Garrison. Katie had dreamed of walking its halls one day; not as a family of an employee, but as a pilot. Maybe even a research scientist like her brother and father.

"This is where the flight simulators are. Maybe if I ask Iverson nicely, he'll let you try one."

"Oh! Can you?"

Katie bounced on her toes as she followed her brother. It was not every day that a civilian was allowed within the Garrison compound, and neither was having an astro-explorer in the family let alone _two_.

Matt smiled and led her into a room full of pods. There were a few junior cadets about, practicing or observing while their friends worked through the simulations. Katie felt a little out of place in the sea of orange uniforms, but as soon as her eyes landed on the equipment, all apprehension left her body. In its place, a surge of determination overcame her. This is where she belonged; this was where she wanted to be.

One simulation pod seemed to be swamped by admirers. A bored-looking boy with dark eyes and hair sat glumly as he effortlessly breezed past the tenth level to the astonishment of onlookers.

Her brow rose as the boy yawned and progressed on to the next level. Well, someone looked like they enjoyed themselves.

"Heh, that's the kid Shiro introduced to us the other day. Remember?"

Katie remembered him alright. He was rude and barely graced her with a glance.

"Wait right here, I'll go see if I can get you a spot."

As Matt wandered off, Katie slowly backed away from the group of junior cadets to press herself up against a wall. It was awkward enough as it was to be the only kid not in uniform – it was worse when she was left alone.

" _Well_ , hello there pretty lady."

Her head turned to the voice. He looked to be about a year or two older than her. His eyes were a dark, vivid blue that precisely reminded her of tanzanite. He leaned a hand on the wall in a (weak) attempt to look suave.

Katie sighed and raised a brow. Her reply was as dry as the rocky plains that surrounded the Garrison.

"Hi."

" _Lance_."

The other boy, one who could be considered intimidatingly big if it weren't for the gentle look in his eyes and teddy-bear like appearance, dragged him away. He gave an embarrassed smile and tugged his annoyed friend out of the room.

* * *

She notes in her diary that night.

 _Pretty eyes. Wish he wasn't a cad._

* * *

Katie hugged her mother's side as they walked slowly back into the Garrison. They had waited until the space ship disappeared into the clear blue skies.

"I miss them already mom."

Colleen stroked her daughter's hair and smiled down at her. "They'll be back soon honey. You might even be enrolled here and welcome them back yourself!"

Her head perked up at the thought.

* * *

The Universe hated her.

She didn't know how, in all statistical probabilities, coincidences and Chaos Theory, that not just one, but _both_ her teammates had to be the very same ones she'd met with Matt.

She gulped hard as the lankier one squinted at the teams list. He had grown significantly since she had last seen him. He had gone through a growth spurt and the childish curves of his face were slowly turning to the defined lines of a man. The other was taller still, but still looked every bit the gentle soul that she perceived him to be.

"Who the heck is _Pidge Gunderson_?"

"Right here."

She held her breath as both boys – now towering over her in a way that felt like she was being scrutinised under a microscope – turned to her. Their smiles were quick and sincere in a way that soothed her anxious heart.

"Welcome to the team Gunderson! I'm Lance, your fighter pilot."

It was a great relief to her that neither seemed to recognise her.

* * *

 _Hunk's sweet. He reminds me of Matt. Lance…is vexatious._

 _He has a nice voice though._

* * *

If there was one thing Katie noted in her diary, interspersed between her daily space audio logs, was how _annoying_ Lance was. Today's entry surrounded how the boy had no concept of personal space and somehow devolved into how his natural scent when he stood too close reminded her of the ocean.

"Hey, Pidge?"

The voice startled her, and a high-pitched squeak escaped her lips. She clapped a hand over her mouth and slowly turned towards the intruder. She attempted using her body as a shield from her journal and shoved a textbook over it.

The boy who she vaguely remembers as Hunk raised an eyebrow but dropped it in favour of relaying his message.

"It's time for class. Iverson hates the tardy."

She gave a curt nod and pushed past him, not noticing the boy's interest towards the partly-hidden journal on her table.

* * *

 _Weather conditions for today look optimal for more sky reads. Will go to the roof tonight with my gear._

And, as an afterthought.

 _Hopefully Lance won't come by my room tonight._

* * *

It'd been approximately twenty-five days since they had left Earth, not accounting for the pockets of space where time bends, Katie was certain it was going to be a while yet before she saw home again. She thought of her mother, all alone in their home, wondering what had happened to her family and her heart squeezed in pain.

It was that sort of thing that kept her up, obsessively working on her code – using all her time to understand Altean code and the castle's system processes.

When she had her slumps, she avoided most of the team. Her answers would be curter than usual and her alertness during spars diminished.

Lance would always be the first to notice.

Back at the Garrison, he'd been nearly relentless in trying to pick her brain – wondering why _Kerberos_ always sent her to such a frenzy – in a way that eventually transitioned from annoying to sweet. She could tell he genuinely cared and her refusing to reach out from pure habit only served to encourage him.

He did his best in giving her space then, an amazing achievement for him. But she knew he wouldn't last for very long as he'd come knocking on her door.

"Pidge? I know you're awake."

She briefly considered ignoring him but sighed and gave a non-committal grunt. The door slid open and Lance entered with what appeared to be a tray of cookies.

"Hunk made a batch especially for you. He said he found something that vaguely tastes like peanut butter."

He set the tray down by her bedside and looked about her room. Pidge stiffened for a bit, realizing he might be judging the mess. Clothes were strewn haphazardly on the floor; her bed was unmade, and various computer parts and other paraphernalia littered the corners. She forgot what the floor looked like. Pidge's eyes dared to peek up, expecting to see a look of disgust over his handsome features. But there was none.

"Nice fairy lights! My sister had ones like those. Ladies must love that, huh?" He gave her a wink and with a parting smile, he was gone.

She didn't know why that made her flush.

* * *

 _I wish I could_ _him_ _who I really am._

* * *

Katie Holt doesn't do jealousy. Absolutely not.

She didn't feel a twinge of annoyance when he flirted with Allura.

She felt _nothing_ when Lance gallivanted off with Nyma.

And she _definitely_ didn't feel a wave of relief when Lotor romanced Allura.

So, what in the world was this ugly churn in her chest as Lance spoke at length about Allura again? She didn't miss Hunk's nudge but pretended not to have felt it. Eventually, Lance drifted off lamenting something or the other about having to work out and left.

"So…Pidge?"

She didn't like the look Hunk was giving her. It was his 'I've-been-reading-your-journal' expression. She really had to find a better hiding place for it. He was going through them as though they were weekly copies of a trashy magazine.

"What juicy gossip do you have on me now?"

He looked almost _gleeful_ that she had to pause and remember what she last wrote. She'd talked about Beezer and how much it reminded her of Bae Bae…

"Lance."

Pidge had chosen the worst time to take a gulp of water. Hunk, thankfully, was more amused than annoyed as he wiped his shirt clean.

"Oh, I've always suspected you had a thing for him way back in the Garrison but dang girl, you have it _bad_."

Her lips parted to give an immediate rebuttal. There was absolutely no reason for her to like him. No evidence whatsoever. But Hunk looked way beyond convinced and seemed to take great pleasure in her squirming.

"It's not what it seems."

"Of course not. It's a cute, school girl crush."

She didn't know why she was annoyed by that. He made it sound so trivial.

Why _was_ she flustered? She desperately hoped there wasn't more to it.

It was odd, considering he had been the only one in the entire team to not eventually realize she might be a girl (and the fact didn't dampen her mood or, so she tells herself) but Katie liked to think that he was just more oblivious to things around him than he let on.

"I'm over it."

She avoided his eyes as she resumed typing on her computer, not even realizing that she was working on the wrong window. Hunk probably had that stupid shit-eating grin on his face – the same one when he found out that Pidge never really grew out of her shojo manga phase. Specifically, ones with the magical girl subgenre.

"I don't know why you still keep a journal. Like, you have a _computer_."

"Computers can be hacked. Journals can't be."

Besides, she was a sentimental little bugger and a burned notebook was far better in destroying evidence than a formatted disk.

It started off with her paranoia that that the Galaxy Garrison monitored their online activity. She was quite certain they did.

But she quickly realized her privacy can be invaded all the same. Hunk showed that for certain. At that point, she pretty much _lets_ him read it.

"By the way Pidge, Sailor Uranus is _clearly_ the superior one. You're demented for thinking otherwise."

He closed the door before the flying pillow could hit him.

* * *

" _Egotistical, it's so typical. For me to fall for your kind._

 _But God I wish you were mine."_

 _Wow. Who made love songs about my life?_

* * *

" _Katie?_ "

Quiznack, why did her name sound so _wonderful_ in his voice?

* * *

If there was anything in her turbulent teenage emotions that caught her off-guard, it was the pain she felt witnessing Lance's heart break.

He, unlike herself, wasn't good at disguising it. His body language betrayed him and so did his diminished enthusiasm that usually lit the room. But _unlike_ her, he didn't let it get to his head. During training spars, he had a laser-sharp focus and an enviable boost in endurance that even impressed Keith.

It was one of the many things she admired in him.

She had gone to his door multiple times, hoping to give him the support he had given her when she'd gotten too homesick. But every single time, save for one, she gave in to her anxiety and dashed off before he could sense her there.

The one time she didn't dash off and had gathered the courage to enter his room, Lance had been fast asleep. She tensed as he released a heavy sigh and turned to his side, facing her. Her heart throbbed in her chest, anticipating sleepy blue eyes to open and see her there. He frowned in his sleep and Katie's fingers twitched with the need to smooth over the crease between his brows.

There were dark smudges underneath his eyes and his caramel skin wasn't the usual smooth softness from careful exfoliation. He had her headphones on. Ones that she _really_ needed back but couldn't bring herself to ask him to.

"You deserve better, Lance." Her voice came out in a soft whisper as she gently tugged the covers over his shoulder.

As she left the room, ocean eyes stared after her in wonder.

* * *

Katie curled up tight into a ball and felt tears roll down her cheeks. She made sure to lock the room – the last thing she needed was his pitying eyes on her form.

What in the world was she thinking? She'd just ruined their friendship. Irreparably, she was sure.

His eyes were so intense on her; she'd went out of her way to avoid them. A small part of her had wished the rest of the crew had remained in the kitchen. Katie hadn't known whether to cower in anticipation or to just pretend as if she hadn't just thrown herself in the line of fire for him.

Instinct had told her that he was angry, and the thought hurt her.

" _Promise me you will never do that again."_

Here it comes. Her body tensed, and the spoonful of soup stopped mid-way. She slowly turned her head towards him with a raised brow, as though she didn't understand what he was saying.

" _Taking my bullets. Lasers. Whatever. Don't ever do it again."_

He was selfless to a fault, why couldn't she be for him?

" _Why?"_

Her voice had gone dangerously quiet; anger and frustration imbued in the single word. He had the gall to look shocked. He had the _nerve_ to yell at her, tell her what to do with her own life.

" _I like you."_

Her eyes closed tight as quiet sobs wrecked her small body.

* * *

 _Looks like I've lost my best friend. Well done Katie._

* * *

Returning to Earth was somehow simultaneously cathartic and stressful.

Cathartic, because she was finally reunited with her family. Stressful, because of all the prodding that was inevitable on the Garrison's part.

From what she understood, Earth was still relatively low on the Galra's radar and there was still no immediate threat. Iverson hadn't been too pleased to see them, but the man had begrudgingly conveyed his relief to their safety.

The Garrison took special interest in the Altean technology and soon she was tasked with relaying the code translations and helping with the integration of Earth's software.

Matt's old friend, she couldn't remember his name, got a little _too_ comfortable with her. Katie had never really been the receiver of male attention and hadn't really desired it (save for one male in particular), but this man made her queasy in ways she couldn't put to words. His praises were more cloying than flattering and his body lingered next to hers a little too familiarly.

She really wished she had her bayard on her.

His hand on her shoulders was the final straw but before Katie could voice her discomfort, _he_ spoke for her.

" _You'll be on the damn floor if you don't remove that hand."_

His voice held a visceral, minacious edge to it that made her heart flutter and her cheeks to pinken.

The last thing Katie Holt could ever anticipate happening to her, was feeling flustered after a man defended her honor.

* * *

 _Hypothesis 0: I care for him as a friend and nothing more._

 _Hypothesis 1: H0 is not true._

* * *

Being back home in warm, sunny Italy was a relief. Her mother was more grateful that she wasn't dead than angry, and it only took about two weeks before Katie was allowed out of the house again on her own.

What didn't take two weeks, was for her to miss him.

His parting hug still lingered in her mind, in a way that she was sure couldn't be healthy. The feeling of his arms, strong and warm, around her tiny form haunted her at night. She desperately hoped that wasn't the last sincere hug she'd get from him.

Revealing her crush to him – and especially at a time where both were emotionally vulnerable – could have been the worst thing she could have done for their friendship. Though the team didn't let on they noticed, it was no secret that everyone scrutinised hers and Lance's brief exchanges.

Maybe the break was good for them. It would give them time to forget her silly confession.

She, instead, threw herself into the task of poring over the build plans for the new Castle of Lions. Coran, Romelle and Allura took up residence in their attached guest house and Katie was glad for the company. She never really had much female friends before and the two Altean ladies, though wildly different to her, took any opportunity they could to explore Italy and just the human world in general.

It was a good distraction for her, for now she only thought of him at night when she looked up to the faded glow-in-the-dark stars on her bedroom ceiling, her journal laying forgotten next to her.

* * *

"This is a sweet present Pidge. I didn't even think about checking out the Italian beaches. It's almost as if you read my mind before I could think it!"

"I'd figured it would be something you would want to see." She murmured, carefully descending the stone steps in her old, beaten up sneakers. There was no grip on them and she was sure she was seconds away from slipping and falling in an embarrassing fashion; that will inevitably lead to the death of her ego in front of the boy she was pining after.

A warm hand, significantly larger than hers, closed around hers and gripped tight as he helped her over a particularly steep drop (steep for her tiny legs, but not for his), and caught her with an arm around her waist as she slid on the landing.

"There now. We made it out alive."

Pidge flushed and pushed him aside, tucking her hands into the sleeves of her sweater as the winds blew over them.

Suddenly, she was encased in instant warmth, a weight on her shoulders and the scent of _him_. He raised a hand before she could even part her lips to protest and instead took her hand and tugged her towards the sea. The beach was empty save for the odd jogger and the sun was now bright, basking them in a gentle balminess that was welcome with the cool winds.

His eyes were on her again. Pidge avoided them and focused on making sure the water wasn't high enough to wet her rolled up sweatpants.

He took her hand (and it took everything in her power not to faint) and wordlessly rested it against his neck. She looked up at him, confusion clearly written on her face. Until she felt it - the unmistakable throb against his warm, olive skin beneath her fingertips. His heart was racing.

And so was hers.

"We should head back!"

And before he could speak, she's splashing her way back onshore.

* * *

 _I've not written on this in a while. I guess after finding Dad and Matt, this journal has sort of become redundant…_

The pen hovers over the paper and a thought crossed her mind. She bit the tip of her pen and considered it for a moment.

 _Reject Hypothesis 0._

* * *

Pidge wanted to remember the night for the rest of her life. Every single detail, she wanted immortalised in her head.

She wanted to remember the way the dim lights gave his blue eyes an enchanting glow. How she wanted to savour the warmth of his warm fingers on her pink cheeks or his lips gracing each of her freckles with a reverent kiss.

Her lips still tasted of him – his natural musk and the sweet wine served in the party – and his cologne lingered on her dress.

He'd kissed her again outside her room. An innocent one that was fairy-light but spoke heavily in volumes of what he felt for her.

She closed her eyes and imagined his long fingers curling into her hair, his thumbs rubbing soothingly over the curves of her cheekbones. The thought alone had her melting into a puddle and burrow deeper into her sheets.

" _I…I like you too."_

His words rung in her ears again and she squealed into her pillow.

* * *

The morning after the ball, Lance greeted her with a kiss to the forehead.

Keith glumly slid a fifty Hunk's way.

* * *

As their relationship blossomed over the years, so did the way they expressed their affection.

Pidge never saw herself as someone who was prone to overt displays of affection. It was easy with family, but with a lover, it was just different.

But there was something about Lance that just made her want to drop her inhibitions. When they were alone together, there was no telling how far and how much they could get away with.

It was inevitable that they would get caught. But of all people, it had to be Keith.

The black paladin had only blinked - taking one look at Pidge's flushed face pressed to Lance's neck and Lance hastily covering her with his discarded jacket - and declared that he was going to be _permanently_ traumatised before leaving.

* * *

Shiro looked uncomfortable, and Pidge doesn't blame him. A small voice in her told her that this had to do with Keith walking in on her and Lance. It had to be.

He cleared his throat and prepares himself; already falling into his role as a mentor and guide. Pidge sat up a little straighter, hoping beyond hope her instincts were wrong.

"I understand that you and Lance are…amorously active-"

"Oh quiznack…" Katie covered her eyes and slid further down to her seat. She was going to kill Keith. Murder him even. Coran could always take over as the Black paladin.

"- and I felt like I should make sure that you are…educated. Now, understand that you are young, and you probably didn't go through the mandatory briefing on- "

"Shiro, I'm nearly _twenty_ now _._ I've actually sat through enough of those…those _briefings_."

He tried his best to look stoic, but Katie could see the façade crumbling.

"Am I the only one subjected to this?"

"No, Lance is having one with Coran as we speak."

She groaned and pulled her hoodie up to cover her face.

"I can't believe this is happening."

"Well, if you'll promise me that you will be safe and _responsible_ \- "

"I'm _leaving_."

"Coran left a box of Altean protection in your room!" He called out after her.

Katie wanted to die.

* * *

His fingers were magic.

They worked wonders in taming her hair and even greater wonders when they were alone.

* * *

Katie hummed in her sleep as a warm hand slipped down her arm to rest against the curve of her bare hip. Rough fingertips traced over the scars lightly before an arm curled around her waist.

She heard his heartbeat first before his warm, bare chest engulfed her small body. She sighed in contentment, snuggling closer to the body she had used as her make-shift bed.

"Pidge?"

"Mmm?"

She felt his lips on her brow as fingers brushed her bangs back. Pidge suddenly understood why animals loved to be petted. She burrowed herself further into the crook of his neck, taking in the familiar scent of smoke and salt water that never failed to quiet her racing mind or have her crave his kisses.

"We should go before the others wake up."

"Hmm…"

Her eyes drifted back closed and she felt him sigh and then chuckle beneath her. The blankets that were twisted around their legs were tugged free then laid over her body. She gave a small whine in protest as he gently sat up, the arm around her waist keeping her snug to his body.

She was loosely wrapped in the blankets, and soon his other arm had come under her knees to lift her effortlessly.

"Don't leave…"

She mumbled, still half-asleep. A kiss silenced her as Lance carried her back to her room.

"Wouldn't dream of it, _mi amor_."

* * *

The pod opened, and she's caught in warm, strong arms again. Her eyes flutter open and it's _him_ that she sees. She braces herself for his fury, but she's met with his tired concern instead as he glumly accepted the inevitable.

"I think I just have to live with the fact that you'll just take any shot for me?"

"You're absolutely right, Sharpshooter."

"And nothing I say will make you change your mind?"

"Will you stop sacrificing yourself for me, Lance?"

"Never."

"Then there's your answer."

* * *

One of the benefits of the new castle, was that it's improved hyperjumps meant they could afford to make the occasional visit to Earth. Not quite on a monthly basis, but they managed enough times that Lance could visibly see his niece and nephew slowly grow.

Meeting his family had been a lot less nerve-wracking than she had anticipated. His parents were ecstatic to meet her and enveloped her in a warm hug that made her feel like she had been part of the family for years.

"You're as pretty as my son tells me. He needs a good smart girl like you." His mother had gushed between kisses to her cheeks. "I hope he makes you happy as you do for him."

The words made her giddy in a way that felt like she was walking on clouds. "He does." Came her reply in a shy mumble. She felt a tug on her shirt and looked down.

"Aunt Pidge?"

"Y-yes?"

It was odd being referred to as an aunt when she was barely twenty-one. She was far too accustomed to being the youngest in the room. But she knew subconsciously _that_ wasn't the real reason she was flustered by the title.

"Are you going to marry my Uncle Lance?"

Pidge's face heated up and she glanced over to Lance, who was mercifully engaged in some sort of argument with Veronica.

"Um…I…I don't _think_ so?"

The little girl blinked her large eyes up at her. Her lower lip jutted out in a pout and she crossed her arms. Pidge didn't think she could ever be afraid of someone half her height.

"But Uncle Lance said he- "

" _Nadia_!"

Lance's voice held a certain tone of panic as he rushed over to swoop his niece up to his shoulders.

"Let's go get ice cream!"

"Yeah!"

* * *

His family adores her, and she adores them.

* * *

"M-Marriage?"

Lance looked at her wearily and sat himself down heavily. Blood rushed to the tips of her ears and she felt her body go numb.

"I _know_ it's too soon. But…"

His hands pressed to his tired eyes and Pidge reached across the table to grasp a hand.

"Every time we go into battle, the first thing in my mind was if I told you that I loved you. I know I would have, but would it be enough? Does she know how much I wanted to give her the world when all of this was over? Will she ever know how I keep imagining our future back home. A…a family even. "

Seeing her usually-suave boyfriend stumble and blush over his words was a sight Katie didn't think she'd see again. But before she could savour it, Lance had grasped her small hands in his.

"We're not back on Earth, I'd like to have asked your family's blessing first and god Katie, I wanted to take you to Varadero and show you…but – "

He took in a deep breath, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. The words that followed were soft, and _not_ from him.

"Will _you_ marry me?"

Lance blinked, not at all expecting that as a response.

"Ah…y-yes!"

Lance yelped as her petite form tackled him.

* * *

Lance had to start his vows over three times, Kosmo ate her bouquet and Hunk couldn't finish his best man's speech from crying so hard.

Their wedding was small but perfect.

* * *

His voice purred adoring words in soft Spanish into her ears in a way that made insides melt and stoked a certain fire that made her flush.

She played with his fingers, her fingertips running over faded scars and knuckles still lightly bruised from training. Lance watched her quietly, his eyes soft as they always were.

Their rings, threaded through necklaces, tangled noisily as Katie propped herself up against his chest.

Katie just took in everything – the tousled dark hair, his sleepy blue eyes, the ever-present smirk on his lips.

A finger lifted, and he tapped it lightly against the furrow between her brows.

"What are you thinking so hard about now, Dr. Holt-McClain?"

She lifted her head to press a kiss to his finger. "I was just wondering…what you'd be like as a father."

She smiled as his eyes widened with realisation.

In truth, in her mind, she'd been hoping their baby would look just like him.

* * *

Her husband was a mess of tears. She didn't know how his arms didn't ache, but he'd been staring awestruck at the little bundle in his arms for hours on end.

Their daughter is beautiful – with the very tanzanite blue eyes she fell in love with, his dark hair – and everything her mother hoped for.

* * *

Katie woke to the sound of her toddler's giggles and her husband's gentle voice.

"You're so smart, like mama." Lance murmured to the tiny girl on his lap. Her small hands clasped his face and her doting father bent forward to kiss her little button nose. She gurgled something in reply and Lance nodded earnestly as though she'd conveyed something very important.

"Your sister will be too."

"Did she escape the cot again?" Pidge whispered next to him. He chuckled and knelt to give her a kiss.

"Nothing keeps her away from her family. She's a Holt." There was a clear tone of pride in his voice as he tackled her with more kisses. Her giggles make her smile, as they always do.

Lance helped her sit up and little Ronnie crawled to her lap. Pidge brushed away the messy, dark locks from her forehead and pressed a kiss in greeting. Her little hands rested over the bump and looked up at her parents with a look of glee.

"That's Red paladin instinct right there. She knows who's in there."

He rested his hand against the gentle curve of her belly. "The next Green paladin."

* * *

Nesting had to be an evolutionary flaw. It didn't make sense for her to want to clean out the stores of the Green lion, but her hormone-addled brain told her otherwise.

And here she was, trying to snatch her collection of diaries from her amused husband.

His fingers flipped deftly through the book, laughing at some of the memories. He held the book high over her head as he read out loud

" _Why does Lance feel the need to be all up in my business all the time? He's cute but-_ Wait, you thought I was cute? Even back in the Garrison?"

There was a look of glee in his face and he grunted as Pidge elbowed him, clawing up his body to reach for her diary. He laughed and grabbed her around by the waist before she could reach his outstretched hand. He had a lot of nerve angering a tiny, pregnant woman.

"Oh no Mrs McClain. This is going to be my bed-time read."

"Lance, _please_. Quiznack, this is mortifying."

"Hush, _mi cariño_. The baby and Ronnie can hear you swear."

Their toddler slept soundly on the bed inside the Green lion, almost as though she was weary of her parent's antics.

He dodged her as he flipped through the pages.

"I always thought you looked familiar. I never thought you'd be the pretty girl in the dress." He laughed as he dodged a flying pillow. His wide grin dropped as he reached the final entry: _Reject Hypothesis 0._

 _"_ Katie..." His voice was unbearably soft.

"You were an idiot." She mumbled, feeling as though she was a teenager again and Lance was nothing but her unrequited crush.

"I'm still an idiot. But I'm _your_ idiot." He hoisted her up into his arms -and with her belly making her feel like a whale, it was a wonder how he did it so effortlessly - and took her breath away with feather-light kisses to her neck, cheeks and her lips.

"You've loved me all this time? I'm your first love?" His eyes were soft as ever, looking at her in a way that made her heart squeeze in adoration - she knew that she never was going to tire of it.

"My first love's _science_ \- Also, rejecting the null hypothesis doesn't necessarily mean-" She stopped as his stupid grin only grew wider and she only sighed in defeat. A reluctant smile twitched to her lips.

"-but you've always been my first choice."

* * *

 **A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed this little trilogy :) As always, feedback is loved.**


End file.
